Truthfully, Starbucks beans are normally better quality than much of what you find in the U.S. and much of Europe. The problem is that you're not really supposed to burn the beans, you're supposed to roast them to enhance the flavors. Their process is ok, they just don't have a the art down and they try to mask inconsistency by over-roasting. You'd be hard pressed to find a master roaster that would disagree.

Starbucks also does pretty poor brewing, so the blame isn't entirely with the roasting. If you ask them to French press the coffee, you'll get a better taste, especially with medium to darker roasts. Their espresso is, ironically, better roasted and better brewed (steamed), so it's almost a shame they serve so many more brewed coffees and crafted beverages and not more Espresso.

If you want good coffee, reasonably priced and properly roasted, better to spend your money on Starbucks' mentor in the coffee world (and business world), Peet's.

2 cups of Vermont coffee company coffee, with 1 tablespoon grass fed butter and a tablespoon of MCT oil. Don't knock it until you try it, tastes amazing and gives me all day energy!

Ah, Bulletproof. Nice. How do you like it (function wise)? Do you blend it?

Yep bulletproof! I'll tell you what, I was very skeptical at first and did quite a bit of research. I've drank it every morning for a over a year now. I can say without a doubt it has made a huge difference in my overall energy and alertness. I consistently have energy all day, been a long time since I've had an afternoon crash. It took a few weeks to get used to it, digestion wise though. After a few weeks though I felt 10x better on daily basis. In combination with eating healthy it has worked wonders for me. I drink it before races, before training runs, it gives me all the energy I need and good fat to burn. It's probably not for everyone but it has made a huge difference on how I feel throughout the day. Also, despite what most think, drinking grass fed butter for breakfast doesn't make you put on weight, it's quite the opposite actually.

I brew 2 cups of coffee, dump it in the blender, add ~ a tablespoon of grass fed butter and ~ 1 tablespoon of MCT oil (or coconut oil if you can't find MCT) and blend it for about 10 seconds.

Dunkin Donuts original roast. We order 5# of whole beans to arrive via fedex every 2 weeks (no DD in southern TX). We have a lovely almost-commercial grade grinder/tamper/brewer that is in constant use in my house.

In my office, I brought an older decent brewer from home and I order my co-workers (under the very real threat of being perma-banned from my office if caught since they can also have some coffee....for now) to give me money so I can buy bags of DD from Costco so I can have more DD coffee at work since no/little/crappy starsucks coffee makes me evil. And I'm already in full-blown change of life cr@p so my co-workers' very survival depends on how many pots are made.

Because, yes, I go through two bowl-sized mugs at home, then constantly replenish during the day.

Matt, if you love the costa rican brand, you will LOVE those that are found here: puertoricocoffeeroasters.com

When we were kids and we lived in Levittown, PR (yes, that developer managed to get a full development built just west of San Juan in the '70s), we lived on Cafe Rico for our cafe con leche, and Maxwell House for our normal percolator.

If you want good coffee, reasonably priced and properly roasted, better to spend your money on Starbucks' mentor in the coffee world (and business world), Peet's.

Agree, Peet's is awesome and second only to Stumptown on the West Coast. I don't think we have either on the East Coast, though--where I live now, Dunkin and Starbucks seem to be the only game in town. I've never thought of myself as a coffee snob, but I only drink them as a last resort--Starbucks is burnt as all get-out. Now I just have my mom send me giant bags of coffee from the Roastery in Kansas City and use a French press at home. Can't recommend their coffee enough!

I try to limit myself to 12 cups of Hills Brothers/Folgers/Maxwell House, but sometimes it creeps up to 15+ cups. I like diner coffee too, because it's usually around $1 for a bottomless cup as long as I sit there and read the paper.

Starbucks rocks the house. Like it so much I bought their stock. I have lived in both Italy and France and know what so-called "good coffee" tastes like. Starbucks is better.

I'll pretend you didn't say that and chalk it up to you being happy about having Jose back.

I used to live above a coffee shop and bakery in Paris and both the coffee and bread were wonderful. I'm yet to have a cup of hot coffee from Starbucks that I didn't want to throw at somebody. Those frozen things aren't that bad in summer, mind you.

Starbucks rocks the house. Like it so much I bought their stock. I have lived in both Italy and France and know what so-called "good coffee" tastes like. Starbucks is better.

I'll pretend you didn't say that and chalk it up to you being happy about having Jose back.

I used to live above a coffee shop and bakery in Paris and both the coffee and bread were wonderful. I'm yet to have a cup of hot coffee from Starbucks that I didn't want to throw at somebody. Those frozen things aren't that bad in summer, mind you.

Starbucks rocks the house. Like it so much I bought their stock. I have lived in both Italy and France and know what so-called "good coffee" tastes like. Starbucks is better.

I'll pretend you didn't say that and chalk it up to you being happy about having Jose back.

I used to live above a coffee shop and bakery in Paris and both the coffee and bread were wonderful. I'm yet to have a cup of hot coffee from Starbucks that I didn't want to throw at somebody. Those frozen things aren't that bad in summer, mind you.

I am a coffeeholic and I just checked out Peet's website. For those of you who have had Peet's, what would your bean suggestions be for someone who loves dark, rich, full-bodied, somewhat bitter coffee?